Spring-switch.



W'. M. BROWN.

SPRING SWITGH. APPLICATION FILED MAY 12, 1908.

920,534, Patented May 4, 1909.

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W. M. BROWN.

SPRING SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12, 1908.

Patented May 4, 1909.

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UNITED STATESFATENT FFICE.

WILLIAM Milli. BROWN, ()F JOHNSTOWN. PENNSYLVANIA} ASSIGNOR TO THE LORAIN STEEL (OMP.=\NY. A (ORPORAIION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SPRING-SWITCH.

Application filedMay 12, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM. MILTON Bnowx, of Johnstown, in the county of Cambria and State of Pennsylvania, have in vented a new and useful improvement in Spring-Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

h'iy invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in S1 ring switches, whereby a switch may be readily used as a spring switch for either a right or left hand throw, or may be disconnected so that the switch will remain in either of the positions in which it is placed, and is designed to provide a simple and efficient means whereby the pressure of the spring can be readily changed so as to retain the tongue in either of the hereinbefore mentioned positions.

Another object of my invention is to incase the spring in such a manner that the shifting of the pressure of the spring is effected by the rotation of said casing. This casing also incloses the spring so as to exclude the dirt therefrom.

With these objects in view, my invention consists in the novel construction, arrange- .ment, and combination of parts, all substantially as hereinafter described and pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1, is a plan view of a portion of a switch structure with the spring box attached, and showing the spring casing in section; Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the pressure of the spring in the reverse manner so as to throw the tongue in the opposite position from that shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, is a sectional view on the line lll lll of Fig. 1 Fig. 4c, is a sectional view on lines 1V IV of Fig. 1 with a spring casing in elevation; Fig. 5, is a sectional View of a modilied form on the line VV of Fig. 6; Fig. 6.

is a sectional view on the line VIVI of Fig. 5.

A is the switch structure in which the tongue B is mounted, the tongue being pro vided with a depending projection l).

C is a spring box which maybe cast integral with the switch structure, or may be secured thereto by means of the bolts c as illustrated in the drawings.

Secured to the depending projection b, of the tongue B, by means of the nuts (Z d, and the interposed bushing d, is a switch rod D.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1909.

Serial N0. 432,538.

Surrounding this rod D, is a closed spring casing F, one end of which is closed by means of a screw threaded head F. Projecting from the periphery of this casing are the lugs "and f" for the ur ose hereinafter de- C is the switch box cover, and is provided with a projecting semicircular rib c, which engages either the semicircular groove f f or f, depending on whether the spring is set so as to hold the tongue to the right or to the left, or in the unengaged position. spring box C is also provided with projections c c, which are placed on opposite sides of the box, and it is also provided with aproj ection c projecting from the bottom thereof and on which the spring casing F is seated.

As will readily be seen by reference to Fig. 1, the tongue is held in position so that all cars will take the curve, and if a car should. trail the switch on the straight track, the tongue would be forced to the left by contact with the flanges of the wheels, but as soon as the wheels have cleared the point of the tongue, the tongue would immediately resume the position illustrated in said iigure. As the tongue is pushed to the left by means of the flanges of the wheels, the rod D, and with it the flanged sleeve G, are forced to the left, the spring casing and the flanged sleeve G remaining in the position illustrated in the drawing. The ressure of the spring is exerted against the flanged sleeve G, and the tongue B on the one side, and against the flanged sleeve G, the spring casing F and the spring box C, on the other side, through the medium of the projections c c and ff. As soon as the flanges of the wheels pass through the switch, the spring will force the flanged sleeve G and the rod D to the right, until they assume the position shown in the draw ing, at which point there should be a certain amount of clearance between the flange of the sleeve G and the casing F.

If the switch is to be set so that all cars will take the straight track as shown in Fig. 2, the casing F is rotated so that the projec- The The

tions f f engage the projections 0 0 This will allow a certain amount of clearance between the casing F and the flanged sleeve G. then the mechanism is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the ribs 0 on the cover C will engage the groove f and when it is set as illustrated in Fig. 2, the rib 0 will engage. the groove f and when the casing is set so that the rib c engages the groove f, the tongue can be thrown into either position without compressing the spring, but will move the casing F with the switch rod D.

In the device illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the lugsff and f f, are replaced by spiral lugsf f andf f which engage the projections c o The lugs f j are curved toward the one end of the casing F, while the lugs f, f, are curved in the opposite directhe tion.

hen the lugs f f are in alinement with lugs c 0 the tongue will be held in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, and when the lugs f f are in engagement with the lug 0 c the tongue will be held in the position i rounding the rod, a casing surrounding the shown. in Fig. 2.

If the device as illustrated in Fig. 1, is to be shifted so as to be retained inthe position shown in Fig. 2, the casing F is rotated so that the lugsf 7, are disengaged from the projections c 0 The casing is then forced to the left, so as tomove the lugs f, f, beyond the projections 0 c and the casing F is then rotated so as to bring f f into horizontal alinernent with the projections 0 0 The casing is then released allowing the spring to bring the lugs ff into engagement with the projections 0 0 In the device illustrated in Figs 5 and 6, if the position of the tongue is to be reversed, the casing F is rotated 90, which disengages one set of spiral lugs on the casing F from the projections c 0 and the projections 0 c, are engaged by the other set of spiral lugs which will force the casing in the reverse direction.

Various changes can be made in the detail construction, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let- 1 ters Patent, is

=tions thereon surrounding the rod and sleeves, a spring interposed. between the flanged sleeves, and within the casing, means to adjust the position of said sleeves on the rod, and relatively fixed bearing members for engagement with said projections.

3. In a switch structure, a tongue having a rod secured thereto, flanged sleeves sursleeves and the rod, a spring interposed between the flanges of said sleeves and within the casing, said spring exerting the pressure against one of the flanged sleeves and the I casing, and means to retain the casing in a predetermined position.

4. In a switch structure, a pivoted switch tongue, a rod extending therefrom a casing surrounding the rod, a spring within the casing arranged to act upon the rod, bearings 0n the casing coacting with bearings on the box, the bearings on the casing being so arranged that the rotation of the casing will reverse the action of the spring.

In testimony whereof, I have iLfIlXGd my signature in presence of two witnesses.

W. MILT. BROWVN. Witnesses:

L. OCONNELL, H. W. SMITH. 

